Zambian 2 ngwee coin
Zambia |value= 0.02 kwacha |years= 1968–1983 |mass= 4.2 g |diameter= 21 mm |thickness= *1.65 mm (1968-1978) *1.88 mm (1982-1983) |composition= *bronze (1968-1978) *copper-plated steel (1982-1983) |shape= round |alignment= medallic |edge= plain |obverse= , state title, year |reverse= Flying ( ), value }} The 2 ngwee coin is a former circulation piece of the Republic of Zambia. It was issued in two metal varieties, the first being minted in 1968 and 1978, and the second being struck in 1982 and 1983. Both were distributed by the Bank of Zambia and produced at the Royal Mint of the United Kingdom. The piece originally carried a legal tender face value of 0.02 Zambian kwacha, but after the rebasing of Zambian currency in 2012, this value was reduced to 0.00002 new kwacha. Although the piece remains legal tender, it no longer circulates due to its low value. Coins struck from 1968 to 1978 are composed of bronze and measure 1.65 millimeters in thickness, while later pieces are made of a cheaper alternative, copper-plated steel, and measure a slightly larger 1.88 millimeters in thickness. Despite these disparities, both metal varieties share a mass of 4.2 grams and a diameter of 21 millimeters. They also have medallic alignment and a plain edge, and are round in shape. The rims of the obverse and reverse are raised and undecorated. A right-facing bust of (1924–), the from 1964 to 1991, is displayed in the center of the obverse. Such an illustration, designed by English artist Norman Sillman (1921–2013), made its first appearance on a commemorative pre-decimal Zambian 5 shilling coin in 1965. Inscribed above the portrait on the 2 ngwee coin, arched in a clockwise direction along the upper rim, is the state title "ZAMBIA". Printed in the opposite direction at the piece's bottom periphery is the date of minting, written in . A rendition of a flying ( ), also designed by Sillman, appears at the left center of the reverse.Such an animal is naturally distributed throughout much of , but occurs in larger in , including parts of Zambia. Written on two lines to the right of its wing is the face value "TWO NGWEE", with the first word shown in slightly larger print than the second. A large numeral "2" is additionally engraved below. Excluding the mintage of 1978 business strikes, which is currently unknown, approximately 86,528,000 examples of the 2 ngwee coin were produced. Of these, 19,028,000 were produced in bronze during 1968 and 1978, and 67,500,000 were made in copper-plated steel in 1982 and 1983. Nineteen million of the bronze coins bear a normal finish, while the remaining 28,000 were struck with a proof finish, 4,000 in 1968 and 24,000 in 1978. All of the 1968 proofs and 20,000 of the 1978 proofs were included in sets distributed by the Bank of Zambia. In addition, a small number of uncirculated 1968 coins were placed in mint sets. Only business strikes exist for the copper-plated steel pieces. References *Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – • *Numista – • * Category:20th century coins Category:Bronze Category:Coins of Zambia Category:Coins with English inscriptions Category:Coins with Gregorian dates Category:Coins with medallic alignment Category:Copper Category:Dated coins Category:Round coins Category:Steel Category:Zambian kwacha